FFC 2024 “Break the Siege” Emergency Humanitarian Aid Mission
The cards and artwork were presented to the crew and participants of the Handala for them to take along on their journey and give to the children of Gaza. It was a very poignant event, seeing the children of Denia express their love and solidarity with the children in Gaza.
In October 2023, Israel intensified its genocidal policy toward Gaza by initiating indiscriminate bombing throughout the territory. Since that time, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, hundreds of thousands face death from starvation and dehydration, and 90% of the population has lost their homes. And the bombing continues, along with sniper attacks and destruction of the most basic health care and sanitation.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has decided on two separate missions in 2024 in response to this ongoing state terrorism, a horrific heightening of the brutal violations of the last 16 years. The first is an Emergency Humanitarian Aid Mission to deliver food, medical supplies and other goods urgently needed for survival. The second is the 2024 iteration of our established initiative “For the Children of Gaza,” which was initiated in 2023 with educational and solidarity stops throughout Northern Europe.
Multiple vessels will sail for Gaza, carrying 5000 tons of humanitarian aid and hundreds of international human rights observers.
This is an emergency mission as the situation in Gaza is dire, with catastrophic hunger resulting from the Israeli government’s deliberate policy to starve the Palestinian people. Time is critical as experts predict that hunger and disease could claim more lives than have been killed in the bombing.
Israel has long violated its responsibility as the occupying power to ensure the health and well-being of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Now, Israeli military and political leaders have repeatedly declared their intention to collectively punish the entire population of Gaza, including by denying them food, water and other life-sustaining aid. We therefore reject Israel’s control over the humanitarian aid that can enter Gaza and reject any Israeli inspection of our cargo and instead have it inspected by third parties.
More information on the “Break the Siege” Fact Sheet.